School of Human and Social Sciences
About us
Dive into a world of endless possibilities and make a real difference in society! In the School of Human and Social Sciences at the University of West London, we aim to empower you to navigate the complexities of our ever-evolving world and become catalysts for positive change, shaping a sustainable, just and healthy society.
We are a multidisciplinary school offering courses spanning Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, Education, Forensic Science, Politics and International Relations, and Nutritional Therapy. With a strong focus on critical thinking, sustainable practices, supporting healthy bodies and minds, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and applied learning, you will be equipped with the skills to make a real impact, both professionally and personally.
Whether your ambition is to shape policy, conduct cutting-edge research, advocate for social justice, or even start your own business, our courses are designed with the flexibility to tailor your studies to match your interests and career aspirations.
Why choose us?
Our courses are highly ranked for student satisfaction including our criminology courses ranked number one in London and education courses ranked top in England for satisfaction with assessment in the Guardian's University Guide 2024.
We are a multidisciplinary school offering a full range of awards from foundation degrees and Certificates in Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) to undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across a range of disciplines including Criminology, Psychology, Education, Forensic Science, Nutritional Therapy, Sociology, and Politics and International Relations.
Our students have access to cutting-edge crime scene suites and science laboratories with industry standard equipment including brain imaging electroencephalogram (EEG), eye-tracking equipment, virtual-reality, DNA and fingermark analysis and a range of experimental and research software. Students gain hands-on experience and receive expert guidance, preparing them for their future careers.
Our courses are accredited by professional bodies in the sciences, for example, The British Psychological Society, Chartered Society of Forensic Science and the Nutritional Therapy Education Commission (NTEC).
Our courses
Our courses
Explore our courses at the School of Human and Social Sciences and related programmes at the University of West London.
You can browse by subject area below or see a full list of courses at the University of West London.
Our short courses
Welcome video
Hear from Dr Jen Mayer, Head of the School of Human and Social Sciences on why UWL is a great choice for your future.
Research
At the School of Human and Social Sciences, our unified mission is to inclusively create and disseminate knowledge that significantly impacts social and theoretical issues in a sustainable manner. We achieve this through collaborative research across disciplines such as criminology, psychology, education, addiction studies, forensic science, nutritional therapy, sociology, politics, and international relations. Backed by state-of-the-art facilities such as brain imaging electroencephalogram (EEG), eye-tracking equipment and DNA and fingermark analysis along with cutting-edge crime scene labs and observation spaces, our research infrastructure is designed to facilitate ground-breaking discoveries and innovations.
Our research endeavours are driven by a commitment to representing diverse and often marginalised populations, including our student body and local communities. We aim to enhance wellbeing and security, address inequalities, advance scientific understanding, and promote equality.
With a focus on improving theoretical and practical understanding of behaviour, mental and physical health, and investigative processes, we strive to catalyse positive change in wellbeing, access to justice, and professional practices.
Ultimately, we ensure that our research findings reach those who can affect genuine improvement and change, including practitioners, policymakers, and the public.
Our staff
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Dr Jen Mayer
Head of School of Human and Social SciencesSchool of Human and Social SciencesDr Jen Mayer recently joined the University of West London as Head of the School of Human and Social Sciences. Prior to this Jen was the at the University of Roehampton for 10 years where she was the Deputy Dean of the School of Psychology following on from her role as a Principal Lecturer and Programme Convener for the BSc Psychology. Jen completed her PhD "Exploring speech processing in high-functioning adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The cognitive, behavioural and clinical correlates associated with atypical auditory processing" at Goldsmiths College, University of London.
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Associate Professor Robert Vaughan
Head of Psychological SciencesSchool of Human and Social SciencesDr Robert Vaughan joined the University of West London as Head of Psychological Sciences in the School of Human and Social Sciences in 2023. Prior to this, Robert was a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at York St John University from 2014 to 2023.
Dr Simon Fox
Deputy Head of School of Human and Social Sciences and Head of Criminology and Forensic Science
Nicola O'Keefe
Head of Education and Interdisciplinary Studies
Academic staff
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Criminology and Forensic Science
- Dr Simon Fox – Deputy Head of School and Head of Criminology and Forensic Science
- Dr Olujimi Aina - Lecturer in Forensic Biology
- Dr Sam Andrews - Lecturer in Criminology
- Dr Ebru Aydar - Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology
- Dr Christopher Davies – Lecturer in Forensic Science
- Professor Graham Brooks - Professor in Criminology and Anti-Corruption
- Dr Maya Flax - Senior Lecturer in and Course Lead for BSc Criminology
- Dr Kyprianos Georgiou - Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for Forensic Science
- Brian Hook - Lecturer in Forensic Science
- Dr Greg Los - Lecturer in Criminology
- Dr Rashid Minhas - Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Psychology
- Dr Allan Moore - Senior Lecturer in and Course Lead for MA Criminology
- Professor Karim Murji - Professor of Social Policy and Criminology
- Leonie Quinton - Lecturer in Criminology
- Dr Jacqueline Spicer - Lecturer in Criminology and Forensic Investigation
- Professor Alberto Testa - Professor of Applied Criminology
- Professor Alison Wakefield - Professor of Criminology and Security Studies
- Dr Dan Yu – Lecturer in Criminology
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Education and Interdisciplinary Studies
- Dr Manzoorul Abedin - Associate Professor in Education and Society
- Shoela Currey - Lecturer in Nutritional Therapy
- Dr Alexandra Georgiou - Lecturer in Primary Education
- Professor William Henry - Professor of Criminology and Sociology
- Sarah Hooper - Lecturer in Early Years Education
- Dr Stuart Isaacs - Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for Sociology
- Dr Rebecca Mace - Senior Lecturer in Early Years Education
- Dr Viktoria Magne - Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for Education
- Dr Janne Mantykoski - Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for Politics and International Relations
- Esther McMahon - Lecturer in Education Studies
- Dr Mike Mimirinis - Associate Professor in Education
- Dr Alice Mukaka - Lecturer in Sociology and Politics and International Relations
- Dr Bamo Nouri - Senior Lecturer in International Relations
- Joanna Oats – Lecturer in Nutritional Therapy
- Dr Surinder Phull - Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Medicine
- Emma Stiles - Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for Nutritional Therapy
- Sharon Vince - Lecturer in Primary Education
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Psychological Sciences
- Dr Robert Vaughan - Associate Professor and Head of Psychological Sciences
- Dr Michael Broll - Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Moira Cachia - Senior Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Jamie Churchyard - Senior Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Jason Clarke - Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Lucy Clarke – Lecturer in Psychology
- Professor Mark Coulson – Professor in Psychology
- Dr Cynthia Alejandra Cordova Sanchez - Lecturer in Psychology
- Professor Kitrina Douglas - Professor of Narrative and Performative Research
- Dr Linda Dinc - Senior Lecturer in Psychology
- Professor Ben Hine - Professor in Psychology
- Dr Henry Johnson - Senior Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Selam Kidane - Lecturer in Psychology
- Professor Caroline Lafarge - Professor of Psychology
- Dr Robert (Bob) Lockie - Senior Lecturer in Psychology
- Professor Anne Manyande - Professor and Course Leader for Health Psychology
- Dr Leanne McDonald - Lecturer in Health Psychology
- Dr Raffaella Milani - Associate Professor and Course Leader in Addiction Studies
- Dr Nicole Miller – Lecturer in Psychology
- Linda Mortimer – Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Rosemary Stock - Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for Psychology Conversion
- Dr Lee Usher - Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Psychology
- Dr Alex Wilson – Lecturer in Psychology
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Technicians
- Rulla Bhattacharya - Psychology Technician
- Suzanne Harvey - Demonstrator/Technician in Forensic Science
- Lynn Jarvis - Senior Technician in Forensic Science
- Becky Tyler - Psychology Technician
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Administration
For administrative enquiries, please contact SHSSadmin@uwl.ac.uk.
Honoraries
Each year, the University of West London bestows Honorary Masters, Fellows and Doctorates to distinguished individuals, in recognition of their business success, contribution to civic and cultural life, or long-term support for the University’s work.
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Our Honoraries
Below are some of those who have received honorary awards from the School of Human and Social Sciences.
- Mark Brooks CBE
- Professor Mitchel Blair
- Kay Fitzherbert
- Leyla Hussein
- Patricia Jefferies
- Professor Zenobia Nadirshaw
- Carole Sharma
- Mike Smith-Clare MBE
Events
Events
We have a lively programme of events within the School, which take place at Paragon, our Brentford site. These include our Twilight Tuesday lectures, Journal Clubs, Lunchtime Seminars and Student Conferences.
Our social channels
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Contact us
Contact us
To get in touch with our School, please email SHSSadmin@uwl.ac.uk.
To contact us about applying for a course, please get in touch with our Admissions team:
- courses@uwl.ac.uk
- 0800 036 8888 and select option 2 - free for land line and mobile users
- +44 (0) 20 8231 2468 for callers from outside the UK.
Disclaimer
* Modern universities are defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992. UWL received the rankings listed above when compared to all other modern universities ranked in the guides / surveys cited.